Thomas f



' (No Model.) 2 sheetssneet 1.

T. F. GAYNOR. ELEGTRO MECHANICAL THIPPING MACHINE. No. 41 L695.

Patented Nov. 12, 1889.

' INVENTOR.

WITNESSES: new fi7 M- (No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

T. F. GAYNOR. ELEGTRO MEUHANIGAL TRIPPING MAGHINB. No. 414,695. Patented N0v.12, 1889.

WITNESSES: INVENTO'RX JZWMQQ7M 9 2 0% N. PETERS PhulwLilMgriplwr, washingwn. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS F. CAYNOR, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO THE GAYNOR ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRO-MECHANICAL TRlPPlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 414,695, dated November 12, 1889. Application filed September 2, 1889- Serial No. 322,790. (No model.)

To all whom. it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, THOMAS F. GAYNOR, a citizen of the United Stat-es, residing at Louisville, in the count-y of Jefferson andStat-e of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electro-Mechanical Tripping-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of electro-mechanical tripping-machines in which a weight is held in suspension in such a manner as that when released by the movement of the armature of the electro-magnet said weight in falling is made to trip or set free trap-doors, horse-hitching straps, doors, and other apparatus in use in fire-engine houses and the like. In using machines of this character it is customary to connect the electro-magnets in circuit with a fire-alarm signal mechanism, or else to place them in a local circuit which is operated by a relay mechanism which is in the circuit with said fire-alarm-mechanism. By this arrangement, when the first impulse ofv the signal is sent into the engine-house, the electromagnet of the tripping-machine becomes energized, which, through the armature 1nechanism, allows the suspended weight to fall, and thus automatically open the engine-house doors and release the horses, so that the fire apparatus may be brought to the scene of the fire as quickly as possible.

The object of my invention is to improve the construction of such machines, which I attain by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l-is a front elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the weight and slide, being shown separate from the other parts of the machine. Fig. 3 shows avertical section of a part of the machine through the center of the guide-post and on a plane parallel with its base-plate. Fig. 4 represents a cross-section of Fig. 1 on the line a b, looking upwardly. Fig. 5 represents afront elevation of a modification of the lever mechanism of the machine. Fig. 6 represents a side elevation of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 represents a cross-section of Fig. 5 011 the line 0 (1. Fig.8 repre-.

sents a cross-section of Fig. 5 on the line 6 f.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A represents the base-plate of the machine, and is provided with lugs A A between which a cylindrical guide-post B is fitted. The ends of the post B are tapped to receive the screws B B which secure the post in permanent position. The post B is grooved longitudinally, as seen at B in Figs. 3 and 4, so as to admit a detent-lever C, with its retracting-spring C, to fit therein. The post B is also splined longitudinally upon the outside, as seen at B,

Fig. 4. The post B is further provided at its lower end with notches B B, and it is further provided with a bindingscrew B at the bottom of the groove B to which the lower end of the retracting-spring C is secured. The detent-lever C is pivoted on. the pivot C to the post in such a manner as to admit of its movement from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position in Fig. 3.

D represents a cylindrical sleeve, which is loosely fitted upon the post B, and is provided with perforated lugs D D and a lifting-hook D A chain or rope E is connected to the lower lug D of the sleeve D, and also to the weight F. The sleeve D is also provided with a feather-pin F, as seen in Fig. 4, which fits in the spline B" of the post B, so that while admitting of a vertical motion of the sleeve it prevents any rotary movement of the said sleeve D upon the post B, that the lugs and lifting-hook may always be maintained in a proper position in the front of the machine.

Around the lower end of the post B a ring G, of rubber or other elastic material, is placed as a cushion to lessen the concussion of the sleeve D when the latter drops down.

H represents the armature of an electromagnet, which is pivoted at one end upon the stud II, and is provided with an armatureretracting spring mechanism of the usual wellknown construction, and needs no further description. The armature II is provided with a fork-shaped trigger or catch H extending at right angles therefrom. The trigger or catch 11 is provided with two shoulders II H (seen in Figs. 1 and 6,) which form seats for the end C of the detent-lever C to rest 100 upon when the latter is in the position shown in Figs. l and 4, and the armature is drawn back from the cores of the magnet I I.

The adjustment-screw J controls the movement of the armature in one direction, while the cores of the electro-magnet control its movement in the other direction. v

In Figs. 1,3, and 4 the detent-leveris shown as pivoted to the guide-post, while in Figs. 5 and 6 it is shown as being pivoted to the base-plate. hen the machine is made in this latter form, the groove B in the post B is omitted; but a rib D is made a part of the sleeve D, and is provided with a roller D and a pivot D for said roller. The end C of the detent-lever is beveled, so as to support the sleeve through the roller when the lever is locked by the triggermechanism but when the lever is released the relation which the roller and the beveled face of the large end of the lever bears to the pivot-stud C is such with reference to each other that the weight of the sleeve causes the lever to assume the position shown by the dotted lines, when the end C of the detent-lever clears the rib D of the sleeve D, and allows the latter to drop down to a position similar to that shown in Fig. 3. In Figs. 7 and 8 the rib and roller mechanism can be more clearly seen.

The operation of the machine may be described as follows: lVhen an electricimpulse is sent through the electro-magnet, it causes the armature, which in an open circuit would be normally in the position shown by the full lines in Fig. 1, to assume the position shown by the dotted lines. The weight of the sleeve mechanism being greater than the retracting power of the retracting-spring of the detentlever will cause the detent-lever to assume the position shown in Fig. 3 as the sleeve drops down upon the rubber cushion, which arrests its further downward motion, the power of the sleeve in falling being determined by the amount of weight suspended thereto. The cord K, which is connected to the upper lug B of the sleeve, leads to the releasing mechanism of the apparatus to be operated, so that when the sleeve fails it imparts a sudden pull to the cord K, thus effecting the purpose desired. .A pin passing through a staple is usually connected to the other end of the cord K. Said pin may either secure a hasp of a door, which when released is thrown open by a door-spring, or it may pass through a hole in the loop of a horsehitch line passing through a staple, and thus liberate a horse; or it may be used for any similar purpose where only the release of a pin would be all that is necessary to accomplish the object desired. If the device is to be used on a normally-closed circuit, it will only be necessary to project the shoulders of the fork-shaped armature-extension from the opposite side of said armatLire-extension to that shown in the drawings.

By the form of construction shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4 it will be seen that the detent-lever is closed into the groove of the post as the sleeve drops down, and it remains in that position until the latter is lifted up agai n,when it is thrown in looking contact with the armature-fork by the tension of the retractingspring, to be then held up until it is again released by the movement of the armature responding to another signal sent through the magnet. of the armature-fork, the latter yields to the upward pressure of the detent-lever as the latter assumes the horizontal position when the sleeve is lifted up by the lifting-hook; but when the hook is released the downward movement of the detent-lever is arrested by the seats of the fork, securing the end of said lever and thereby holding the sleeve up.

Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 show the employment of a form of leverage to hold the sleeve up of a different order to that shown in Figs. 1, 3, and at. As a consequence, the groove 13 is dispensed with in the post, and the rib D", with the friction-roller D is added to the sleeve D and the rib made integral therewith. The movement of the catch end of the detent-lever is also of a much shorter are, while the re traeting-spring is connected to the base-plate instead of to the post. The action of the catch end of the lever and the armature-fork catch which looks it up is similar in both forms of construction.

The essential principle desired in the device is to permit of having a comparatively heavy weight locked up by the detent-lcver, and yet so arrange the leverage upon the lever as to minimize the pressure of the catch end of the lever upon the seats forming the catch of the armature-fork, so that a minimum of battery-power will, through the magnet, trip the weight free to drop and accomplish the purpose intended, all of which is attained by the device herein shown and described.

This machine has been referred to as being a device adapted to fire-engine houses. It can also be used for all other purposes where it is necessary to liberate, actuate, or release any device or apparatus, and where it. is desirable to accomplish the purpose electrically and al'iton'1a-ticallyas, for instance, to pull the cord of a steam-whistle, or release a visual signal, or turn a gas-pipe valve, or the like.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In an electro-mechanical tripping-machine, the combination of a base-plate provided with perforated lugs, a guidepost secured to said lugs by binding-screws and provided with a longitudinal groove and a longitudinal spline, a sleeve shorter than said guide-post and loosely fitted thereto and provided with two perforated lugs, a liftinghook and a pin therein fitted to the spline in the aforesaid guide-post, and a weight connected to one of the lugs of the aforesaid On account of the beveled face H sleeve, a detent-lever pivoted to the aforesaid post, so as toclose into the groove.

therein, and an armature pivoted to the aforesaid base-plate, having a forked extension provided with catch-seats adapted to lock the free end of the aforesaid detentlever when the latter is in proper connection therewith, an adjusting-screw secured to said base-plate, so as to regulate the movement of said armature, and an electro-inagnet secured to said base-plate in such a position as to actuate said armature when energized by an electric current, substantially as specified.

being provided with a retracting-spring and an adjusting-screw, by means of which its movement can be regulated, substantially as specified.

3. In an electro-mechanical tripping-machine having an el'ectro-magnet and an armature provided with a catch mechanism, a detent-lever adapted to en gage said armature with said mechanism, and a guide-post mechanism, the combination therewith of a sleeve having a rib D and a friction-roller D and being provided with a weight which is connected thereto and having a cord K connected thereto, and being adapted to be held up or released by the aforesaid detent-lever, in the manner set forth, substantially as specified.

THOMAS F. GAYNOR.

\Vituesses:

T. F. OBRIEN, \V. II. S'rmvarur. 

